No matter how many rags-to-riches stories you come across, the grit and enterprise of the people concerned always serve to inspire. Veeral Patel is one such entrepreneur, who started as a helper at a roadside eatery and has moved up to own a sweet shop chain worth Rs 4 crore.

"My father was a poor farmer from Kutch, but worked very hard to fund my studies till class X. After that, he was unable to pay my fees. The year was 1982 and I was 16. So, I decided to go to Mumbai and look for a job," says Patel.

His father took a loan of Rs 100 from a local moneylender to fund his Mumbai trip. "The train fare was Rs 65 and I was left with only Rs 35 when I reached. I landed a job as a helper at one of the roadside eateries, where the owner gave me three meals a day, but no money. Soon, I got a job at a stationery store on similar conditions," he recalls.

According to Patel, the store owner was very impressed with his work. "I was hardworking and also helped him in maintaining the accounts." After six months, his employer started paying him a salary of Rs 250. "He trusted me completely and not only asked me to take care of his business, but also allowed me to make purchases for the store," he adds.

He quit the job two-and-a-half years later, and in 1985, partnered with a distant relative, who had bought a retail space at Thane to start a stationery store. "It was decided that I would run the business and we would share the revenue equally. The deal was for five years," he says.

However, two-and-a half years later, the relative decided to dissolve the partnership. "We were making around Rs 5 lakh annually. Since I had already established the business, he wanted me out. He wanted to hire a manager and pocket the profits," says Patel.

By this time, he had saved Rs 2 lakh. "I took a small space on rent and set up a stationery shop. The response was good and in the first year, I earned Rs 3 lakh," he adds. Four years later, Patel had saved enough to buy his own shop.

"In June 1992, I purchased a small shop at Thane for Rs 5 lakh. The location was very good and, within a year, I earned a profit of Rs 5.25 lakh," he adds. In 1996, he bought another shop, and by 2000, the annual revenue from the two shops was Rs 30-32 lakh. There was no looking back after this.

In 2004, Patel decided to diversify into retailing of sweets and snacks, and launched his venture, Gaurav Sweets & Namkeen. "On the suggestion of a friend, I invested Rs 30 lakh to start the sweets business and named it after my son. The turnover for the first year (2004-5) from this venture was Rs 30 lakh," he adds.

Between 2004 and 2011, Patel bought a number of shops across Mumbai and went on an expansion spree. "The real estate prices were stagnant and since we were generating decent profits, I decided to invest it in property," he says.

How ever, he soon realised that while purchasing property cost a lot, taking a place on rent came at a fraction of the cost. The other advantage was that if the location did not suit the business, he could easily relocate. In 2013, Patel set up a centralised kitchen for his sweets business.

"We started manufacturing sweets and snacks in bulk, and hired small vans to carry these to each location," he says. In 2013-14, the turnover was Rs 4 crore. "We are now planning to set up 5-7 more outlets this year and also intend to enter the export business," says Patel.